Who I am…
by AcamWriter
Summary: She is a remarkable Princess who has to become a commoner and he is an ordinary man called to fulfill his extraordinary calling as a Prince. With their lives thrown together through tragedy, they need to learn to trust and support each other. But where does it take them in the end? The same story-line with a twist and thereafter it goes in a different direction.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! Good to be back and writing. I had this story stuck in my head for a long time, from the time I was writing '90 Days'. I wanted to wait till the end but decided to bring it to you all as soon as possible. I will update chapters each day. It does take some time to take off so please bear with me. Before I start, I want to say a BIG thank you to B (Wonder Squint) for not only beta reading but also cheering me on. Also, now that both Jake and Gemma are single after 5 years, here's hoping for some sparks LOL **

**This one will be a two part story which starts off the same with a twist and thereafter it goes in a different direction (like an anthology series). **

**I write for all of you so I dearly hope you enjoy it!**

**Who I am…**

Love stories through time always say of brave hearts weathering the harshest speech and pain. They make songs and poems of lovers, immortalising their journey to be together. But the greatest of love stories are not recorded in the pages of history, but turn themselves into legend through time. The greatest of them are not of the ordinary but extraordinary just as the two souls who decided to write their own destiny.

**Chapter 1**

Tamina's blood felt cold in her veins as she saw Asoka disappear with the dagger. Her prayers since the siege started seems to have been forsaken by the Gods and she struggled to keep her faith. They have gone through this drill ever since the age of fourteen. For it be happen in reality, however, is an act which her mind cannot wrap around. Tamina was stripped of her royal robes, her body paint and jewelry hastily before _she_ was brought in. Her name is not known to Tamina but she will now adorn Tamina's royal robes so that her life can be spared. A vile was handed to Tamina.

"How long will it make me barren?" Tamina asked.

"A year, your highness, perhaps more," the handmaiden replied with tears streaming down her face.

It had to be done. What springs from her is sacred and she had to be protected from any brutality of war. Tamina will be disguised to be smuggled out as a commoner while an innocent take her place as the princess. Tamina had been a secret herself, hidden from her people and the few who do see her face sworn to secrecy. Benefits of not being seen by all is that she could be replaced and let another die for her. There were no murals, no sonnets and no songs about her face just rumors of her beauty. Her name was known to few and no one knew if that was in fact her name. Before they hid her face under the thick veil with only her eyes naked to the world, Tamina knelt at the feet of the girl who would take her place as sheath to Persia's sword.

"Gods keep you for your sacrifice will save us all," she teared.

"No Princess, it is I who is humbled and blessed to be chosen to die for Alamut and for you," the girl replied.

She kissed Tamina's hands and her personal guards whisked her away as the news arrived that the palace is surrounded. She was being led out via secret passageways when she felt it - a strange heed. She feared the dagger was in danger.

Across in the streets, Dastan fiercely battled the Alamutian warrior and with a knee kick to his chin, floored his enemy. He looked at him. There was no scroll, message, weapon which seemed so important enough for him to escape the burning city. But there was jeweled pouch and contained within, the most intricate dagger he had seen.

As his hands gripped the blade to see the hilt of sand as the trumpets announced Persia's triumph. He casually shoved the dagger as a spoil of war around his waist and ran to the Palace.

Tamina hesitated within two steps to freedom. "We have to go back, "she said as she turned and hurried up the path in between protests from the soldier with her.

Her fears were realised when she stepped back into the sky temple. She was informed that Asoka had been wounded and dagger lost.

"Did you see who took it?"

"Yes...well...no your highness. I was too far but it had to be a ranker in the army. He...he was not with banner men so he could not be one of the princes. But his armour was different," the guard replied.

"But your highness, the dagger cannot be taken with bloodshed," the councilman said worried at what may have conspired.

"Unless it was separated from Asoka somehow," she replied in thought.

"You have to go princess! You must escape," the soldier pleaded with no avail.

Tamina shook her head fiercely, "I must stay here. Get the rest of my people out of the palace. Only handful guards must remain here with the priests and… and the girl who will take position as princess."

She turned to the councilman, "if it is Prince Tus at our door as rumored, he will want to make a political agreement. Agree to it. All of us dying will solve nothing. I need to look for the dagger."

They arranged themselves with the fake princess on the floor worshipping the empty chamber. Tamina stood at the fringe around her as a maid. Close enough to hear the conversation but far enough to be of no importance. The grunts and screams became louder till the Persians broke through the door. The cries of Alamutian soldiers as the Persian's slew their way in gripped Tamina's throat. The councilman in fear tried to push her behind but she stood strong. He whispered the names of those present- Prince Tus, Prince Garsiv and Vizier Nizam.

While Prince Garsiv stood belting accusations of selling weapons to Koshkhan, her thoughts were with the search for the individual who fit the description of the one with the dagger. She had a brutal man in mind, a savage and a cold hearted warrior. The feeing in her heart grew strong and that is when she saw him for the first time and around his belt, the dagger.

Dastan's path opened as he stepped into the high temple and looked at the commotion his brothers were in. Tus had that look on him, like he was proposing, again! He had said she was rumored to be a great beauty and Tus had a liking for collecting pretty things. While he looked on at the veiled princess with her face hidden, he felt a strong gaze of another upon him, a maid. She bypassed the center of the diplomatic discussions to look at him and with only her eyes exposed. Her eyes fell heavy on him but he placed it on fear of a Persian warrior on a silly maid although his heart disagreed.

The whole Persian army cheered as the Princess agreed to marry Prince Tus and it was then that Tamina realised what had happened. She turned in haste to the councilman. Unfortunately it only took that second for her to lose sight of the man with her sacred dagger.

"Here we go again," Dastan said under his breath as he made his way to join his men. He fought for his father's kingdom and now all he wanted to do was have a good time with his friends. He did not care for his royal status, riches or glory. He wanted to be free. Tus, however, had other plans for him.

"They're calling you the Lion of Persia! You've never excelled at following orders Dastan," Tus said as he pat him on the back and cut his apology off.

"There is, however, tradition. Since you took the honor of first assault, you owe me a gift of homage. A beautiful dagger," Tus said as the dagger was pulled from Dastan.

Tamina looked on from a palace window as Nizam arrived to the conversation handing the dagger back to the warrior and replacing with a scroll.

"Who is that with Prince Tus?" Tamina questioned.

"That, your highness is Prince Dastan. The youngest son of King Sharaman," the councilman whispered.

He looked at Tamina again, "Princess do you realise what was taught to you? From this moment, you cease to be a princess of the people and become a guardian. You must forget us now. You must forget your people."

Tamina knew what was asked of her. It was written that if the dagger is lost, her duty is to recover it no matter the cost or consequences. She had to forget her people, sacrifice them if she must with focus only on the recovery and protection of the dagger.

"I will watch over the dagger but you have to calm that girl down before she gives away," Tamina said pointing at the 'princess' who was crying helplessly.

"I would prefer to die than be the wife of a Persian your highness," she cried.

Tamina sighed and went to her, "What is your name?"

"Fa…Farah, your highness," she replied.

Tamina kept her hands on her shoulders. "They accuse us unjustly of selling weapons to their enemies. When they find that there is no such thing, they will be apologetic. King Sharaman himself will be asking for atonement. At that time, we will nullify this marriage. Farah, you look like me and through the veil, they will never know our difference. I will marry him if I have to."

Although she comforted her, in her heart she doubted how this tragedy will play out. The invaders were clamoring over her holy city drinking and gambling spoils of war. She closed her eyes in disgust and frustration that she cannot look for the dagger amplified her anger. It was too important of a task to assign to her soldiers who were anyway made worthless by the mighty Persians. It was evening when information was brought in that King Sharaman had arrived and reprimanded the young Prince Tus for the invasion. However, that did not prevent them from throwing a lavish party in her throne room. Farah was once being dressed to be presented to the King. Tamina moved to her and held her hands.

"I will be there when you are presented. Do not fear for the Gods are with you always," she said and she left the room in haste to look for the dagger.

However as she rushed out, Tamina almost ran into the man she had wanted to be near this whole time- Prince Dastan. They both stopped instantly before their bodies touched. But they were an inch away from each other and he looked deep into her eyes. Dastan did not know what had overtaken him. Why was he so intrigued by her, this handmaiden?

She looked up at him, her mind completely void of the dagger, and his blue eyes entrapped her.

It lasted but a moment and she tore herself from him to disappear down the corridor as Dastan looked on wondering if he would ever see her again. Tamina's thoughts were not far from him either as her head filled with Dastan's perfume of rich spice. She feared that the youngest prince had now caught her attention for more than the dagger.

She next saw him as he accompanied the 'princess' in utter silence to be presented to the King. Tamina looked at his coat and the dagger flashed for a second as he turned to go speak to the King. When they were called in, the guards obstructed her and sent her away to stand where the other maids were, serving wine and sweets, not before she saw the king wearing the prayer robe of Alamut's Regent. Her mind puzzled. The prayer robe was hidden in a place by her own hands once the attack had started, as it was sacred. This could not be the robe.

To take a closer look, Tamina picked up a jug of wine and moved around listening to the conversation of the King and his son.

"But Tus already has enough wives! You, Dastan, might take fewer chances if such a jewel waited in your chambers. The Princess of Alamut will be your first wife," King Sharaman announced.

While Dastan stood speechless amongst cheers, Tamina's mouth fell open underneath the veil! She now gets to marry Dastan!

"What say you, Dastan? He plunges into a hundred foes without thought, but before marriage he stands frozen with fear. And there are those who say he is not yet wise..." King Sharaman said amid laughs.

Why was she jealous? She left the wine on a table and turned to leave. That is when it happened; cries of pain and agony filled the air.

"The robe is poisoned!"

Tamina pushed her way to the front, her tiny frame maneuvering through the panicked guests. The King was sprawled on the floor burning within the robe as Dastan pleaded for help.

"Somebody help him," he pleaded.

"The robe Dastan gave him!"

Accusations of murderer filled the air and the guards were descending upon him. If he is captured, Tamina will forever lose the dagger. She looked around and picked up a heavy brass ornament and knocked the leading guard out as Dastan battled the guards behind him. She grabbed a sword and defended a blow across Dastan's face and pulled his coat.

"Come with me!"

It was a tug towards the balcony and, as if cut from the same cloth, they both stepped over the railing and jumped to the open pond.

"What do you think you're doing?" he questioned as he dragged himself out of the pond.

"I can get us out of here. You're going to need my help," she shouted through her thick wet veil.

Dastan released the tied horses and suddenly heard Bis, who was absent at the banquet, call to him with confused look at the commotion.

"Get my sword," Dastan shouted at Bis while he pulled Tamina up onto the horse.

As they sped off towards the gate, Bis threw the sword at him. Tamina has never sat with a man and here she was wrapping her hands around his body.

How a maid can help him and why he trusted her to follow her orders he did not know. But there he was, riding the horse stolen from Garsiv as fast as he can - a murderer, a fugitive, a disgraced son- with his life in the hands of a woman he has not even seen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

They had been riding for hours and the evening sun had now made way to the full moon. Tamina had directed

them away through dunes and valleys, successfully escaping the cavalry.

"There," she pointed towards a rock formation and Dastan led the horse there.

He reached behind and gave his hand to Tamina knowing she found it hard to get off. She reluctantly accepted and slid off the saddle. She was not used to riding and her thighs hurt making her whimper unexpectedly. She rested on the rock and closed her eyes.

Dastan too was shaken at his father's death and he felt the warm tears ride down his face. They stood separated for close to an hour. He unloaded the saddle and his sword off the horse to lessen its burden.

He looked at her, now sitting on the floor, and moved to share the waterskin with her.

Tamina reached out to it and slowly took a sip. She knew he still had the dagger and she knew the only way to protect it was to be as uninterested and unwilling to be with him in this situation as much as possible. Dastan too was still suspicious of the maid's motives as to helping him.

"What's your name?" he asked but was met with silence to his annoyance.

"What's your name?" he barked at her again making her jump and lose her trail of thought.

"Tamina," she suddenly said and looked down at the mistake of saying her real name. She thought of how she could recover her name from his ears but it was too late. Though they had been journeying for hours, Tamina did not have a plan or a story to go along with the questioning. She needed to buy time through his incessant questioning to have an answer viable enough not to get killed.

"Who are you?" Dastan questioned again and he was getting impatient with her making him boil in rage.

"Why did you help me?" he shouted again.

"I don't know!" Tamina shouted back.

"You don't know? You risk your life for a reason you not know?" he questioned with growing suspicion.

"Who do you work for? Who sent you?" he stepped closer to her judging her only by her eyes which were naked to him. His own tone felt uncharacteristic to Dastan. He sounded ruthless and angry, making his own mind startled at his manner. He knew he had to calm himself down if he were to extract anything from her.

She did not look terrified or disoriented and Dastan was relieved that she was not crying either because, as the past has shown him, they always cry to get away with anything!

"Let's try again. Why did you help me?" he asked in a calm tone.

Tamina was yet drawing the story she was going to tell him. Her mind battled at the thought that this was in fact a Persian who had the blood of her people on his hands. However, her heart seemed to think telling him the truth may not be wrong. Her thoughts occupied her and only roused the calm lion of Persia, making him pounce on her.

Dastan pushed her onto the rock wall behind her and held the dagger against her throat. As threatening as this was, she was comforted to see the dagger. Tamina looked into his eyes, far from the calm blue she saw earlier when they almost knocked into each other. His were in agony. It was not anger she saw, but pain.

He had pressed her against the rock using his left hand and the dagger blade was cold against her neck. Her heart quickened and her breadth escaped in gasps.

"Talk if you love your life. Why did you help me?" he whispered and once again prompted her to answer with a push of the blade against her throat.

She knew it was time. She had to speak the truth with lies weaved into it. She had to gain his trust playing against his pain and protect with her life, the secret of the dagger. Tamina closed her eyes for a second to calm herself and as her eyes opened, she was epitome of tranquility. She knew that what a man who lost his family needed, an ally.

"I helped you because I feel your innocence," she said confidently void of any fear.

"How do you know my innocence?" Dastan pressed.

It is fact that she followed him for the dagger but that uneasy new feeling of his integrity made her an unwilling witness to his innocence.

"The robe you presented to your father was not the Robe of Alamut's Regent. I have seen that robe with my own eyes and it is hidden, forbidden from the eyes of commoners. What was presented cannot be the robe. And…and the poison that killed the King is unknown and it would have burnt the hands of the one who did it. Your hands are not," she said.

Dastan released Tamina from the grip and walked away. It was painful that the only ally he now was a lowly maid. He closed his eyes and he can see him. He can see his father's face burning. He can smell the sickening stench of his flesh melting in the acid. He was living a nightmare.

"I didn't murder my father," he suddenly said in pain and Tamina, who had been looking around for any escape route, looked up at him. "That robe was given to me by my brother. Tus did this. And now he stands to be crowned king."

"Do…do you know this for sure?" she asked as she stepped closer.

"He was all over the plans to attack Alamut even though he knew it was against father's wishes. He planned this. My brother…he always hungered for power and now it had consumed him to the point of murder."

It was silence once again but when she was a step away from him, he fiercely turned and moved closer.

"I did not kill my father!"

"I believe you," she said trying to earn his trust, "but you are wanted for treason and I don't think they will let you live to prove otherwise. You cannot expect that from men who live by the swords."

Unfortunately, at her words, Dastan grew angry and the monster once again reared its ugly head. Tamina knew playing him was a gamble and now it is not looking fortunate for her.

"You do not speak about my brothers like that!"

"You destroyed my innocent city! That is sufficient to show the character of your family," she argued forgetting her place now is not as a Princess.

"And you don't speak to me like that. I am Prince Dastan the…" he struggled to find his voice as he did not expect a spirited response from a servant.

"Wanted murderer? Disgraced royal? Dead? Pick one," she said in a scornful tone.

"Is that the way you speak to a Prince?" he growled.

"You are no more a Prince than I am a Princess," Tamina confronted him. "In any case, you are not my royal and I do not bow to you," she stated calmly but with disdain. The vanity of a Persian fueled her but Tamina did not forget herself and held strong. While she did have to ensure she was close to him, it was hard to appease a Persian.

Dastan was now intrigued more than angry. No one has ever spoken to him this way and for once in his life, he appreciated a naked soul without the facade put out for royalty.

"You speak your mind too much for a maid," he said after a minute of silence.

"You speak too much for a man whose head would have rolled if not for me," she shot back.

Unfortunately for Tamina, her confidence also enchanted Dastan's mind making him forget the events of the day and piece together this thoughts of this woman.

"You do speak your mind too much for a maid. In fact… _you_ speak. Maids don't speak as you do," Dastan said as he stepped towards her.

Tamina stood erect in shock at his discovery, breathing heavily hoping he will not press her for more. He slowly waked around her, unnerving Tamina not with his words but with the proximity to her.

"I have seen you. The way you hold yourself, the way you walk, your mannerisms…they are not of a _maid," _he said as he stopped in front of her. Her heart said a silent prayer knowing that if he knows her true self, it would be certain death or torture that will prevail.

Dastan eyes looked at her in diligence and she could see him piecing the picture together. "You knew the way around the desert, reading the ground and the skies," he said. "More than that, you are clean and you smell of jasmines and sandalwood. First servant to smell like a royal," he said almost suspiciously.

"I can imagine how hygiene can be a challenge to the savages that is the Persians but we keep ourselves clean," Tamina said hoping to turn the conversation.

"You are not a maid as much as I am a Prince at this moment. So if you are not a maid, who are you?" he questioned almost to himself but suspicion that she was a spy made his rage build up again.

"What I do is not who I am," she replied.

"I don't have time for this Tanisha," Dastan pressed.

"It's _Tamina," _she corrected and regretted dong so instantly for the second time. Why was it such an awful need for her to ensure he knew her name?

"Fine, Tamina, what do you do really?" he shouted again furious at the games he had to play to coax an answer.

She weighted the consequences of what she was to say. But the answer was clear if she wanted to save the dagger.

"Tell me," he shouted.

"I am…I..." she hesitated just before she said it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi Everyone**

**Thank you so much for your reviews. I am really thrilled that you like reading it! Pease stick around and I promise to make it worthwhile. Also, I have the next fic lined up in my head, a modern fic.**

**Anyway, let me do this asap. **

**Chapter 3**

"Priestess," she completed her sentence. Tamina looked at Dastan, looking for a reaction but was met with confusion.

"What?" he asked.

"A priestess. I am one of the priestesses in the temple," she clarified and awaited his response.

"Jasmines and sandalwood," Dastan said to himself.

"What?"

"You smell of jasmines and sandalwood from the temple," he looked up at her and suddenly his lips curved into a smile. He turned to shield his softer side.

"Why didn't I think of that," Tamina mumbled after his answer, making Dastan turn.

"What did you say?"

"Er… I said I should have told you that. That is why I helped you - I see the truth in people. You did not kill your father," she said in a gentle tone hoping that the priestess act, which is not a compete lie, would help her.

"How… how to you know the way around the desert so well as if the very map is etched in your mind?" he asked with his curiosity aroused at the new revelation.

"Religious school. We learnt known maps. I… I know how to track because of my father and brothers… who are no more," she said and at the mention of father and brothers, Dastan's mind went back to his.

"I have to get to Avrat and you will help me," he said as he turned to check the horse for mounting.

"What?" she gasped.

"To Avrat, where my father will be buried," he repeated, slowly annunciating each word.

"I heard where! It was more of an 'are you insane'-what than 'I did not hear you'-what," Tamina said hysterically. She managed to get the man out of a terrible situation only for him to risk his life; and the dagger, again.

"Nizam will be there. He's the only one I can trust," he replied over his shoulder as he picked up the saddle.

Tamina rushed to him and pulled the other end of the saddle to his surprise. "So you _are_ insane. That place will be crawling with Persian soldiers and worse, do you really think you can trust anyone in your family?" Tamina said knowing that if he is caught, she will lose the dagger. She had to discourage him but his mind seemed to be made up as he pulled the saddle hard from her grip as a reply. Tamina was losing hope and wit!

"Good luck getting into Avrat. Actually, good luck on your way to Avrat," she mocked and crossed her hands.

"I don't need luck, I have you," he said matter of fact as he dropped the saddle and copied her pose.

"What?"

"Was that a 'are you insane'-what or 'I did not hear you'-what?" he asked, copying her earlier words.

"Still in 'are you insane'. Well, I am not coming with you," she shot back and turned in a huff.

Dastan stood quiet in contemplation and replied with a simple 'fine'.

Tamina was surprised at the lack of interest and the swiftness of acceptance of her answer. Perhaps the Prince was gentler than she thought.

He offered his hand as to thank her and he looked into her eyes. Tamina looked at his hand so inviting and then raised her eyes to his, blue and engulfing as before. She felt her left hand involuntarily lay on his.

It lasted a second and suddenly he twisted his hand around grabbed her wrist and brought her other hand to a rope. Tamina stood in shock as her wrists were bound by Dastan in front of her very eyes.

"Wha... what are you doing?" she screamed.

"I'm taking you prisoner," Dastan replied calm as ever.

"What?"

He looked at her. "Still the _'are you insane'_ one," she replied in answer to his stare.

"I asked you and you said you would not come. So now I am taking you prisoner so that you have no choice in the matter," Dastan smirked.

Tamina struggled against his grip on the tied rope to no avail. He was strong and pulled her more into his body, their faces a breath away from each other's.

"I am a Prince of Persia and you will..."

"Oh yes, you clearly showed you are a true Persian Prince. You have no respect for life and you would slay any that stood in your way. Selfish, brutal and without honor. You amass your fortunes in the blood of the innocent and..." before she could finish he gripped her face in her hands.

"Don't talk about my family as such. My father rules... ruled honorably and where we went, order and prosperity flourished. Alamut was a mistake and I knew it," he pushed her face away and turned in shame at how he manhandled her.

He was never disrespectful to anyone - man or woman - but the rage and loss he felt ignited a beast. At one moment, he was calm as possible and yet rage at mention of his family defamed was too much to bear. He turned towards the figure next to him, startled but standing her ground against his anger.

"You will lead me to Avrat and you will tell my Uncle what you know about the robe. Then you will lead us to it so it will prove my innocence," Dastan said with a hopeful voice.

"Grief has made you weak. Do you think that a mere counterfeit will be able to prove your innocence?" she questioned with a hint of concern.

"I just need a chance!"

"You are wanted for the King's murder! Possibly a bounty is placed on your head and every single barbarian must be looking for you. By morning, your portrait will be everywhere," Tamina reasoned.

"That is why you will lead me through the dessert," he replied as a matter of fact.

"This is madness," she said again.

"It is not madness! I did not kill my father and I will not miss his funeral," he said.

"And yours!"

He pounced at those words, "What would you have me do? Live my whole life with this guilt?"

"Go back to Alamut," she suggested hoping he will take the bait. Dastan stood with his head hanging and turned his head to her.

"I will take you back to Alamut, Dastan and I can get you to the elders who will help us. They will listen to me and they can..."

"They cannot do anything for me," Dastan whispered.

"But that is where Persian presence will be the least! You are accused of killing the sovereign for your own personal gain! The two places they will look for you are in Avrat and Nasaf," she said as she tried to release herself from the rope.

"Nasaf?"

"Well when you fail miserably at Avrat and if your head is intact, you will want to go to Nasaf to speak to whomever," she argued, making Dastan's head jerk up in surprise. How did this woman read him so well?

She stepped close. "If you want my help, you need to listen to me."

"_Listen_ to you? You're the one bound, and if you keep on going like this, gaged," Dastan threatened.

"I'm not afraid of you. _You_ are accused of murdering the King of Persia! It's your face they are hunting. Me? I am some obscure servant who you dragged off, nay kidnapped when I tell my side of the story. So will they believe that some stupid girl orchestrated an escape?" she taunted.

"They are hunting for you too," he remarked.

"They do not know my face. I can escape to anywhere while you… " she stopped instantly regretted the words spoken in rash. They were, however, enough for Dastan's mind to work.

He stepped towards Tamina and had that annoying smirk on his face making her traced him in disgust with her eyes.

"That is true, no one has seen your face," he said in deep thought.

She tried to step back but Dastan simply reached and grabbing her tied wrists, pulled her to him hard. She struggled against him which only made him press her closer to him.

"Please Dastan, do not do this to my honour," she pleaded.

"Your honour? I simply want to see your face so you will not trick me," he replied.

"I promise you, I will not," she said eagerly to portray trust.

"Too late," he kept his hand on the fold of her veil at the side as she shook her head and body to escape him. "Stop fidgeting! All I will find will be all your wrinkles, warts and crooked teeth," he said with a laugh as he flicked her whole veil off.

He involuntarily gasped and his lips parted.

Tamina's veil earlier covered her hair, face - except the eyes - neck and shoulders. But now, he saw her face, her hair, her neck and the curve to her shoulders. The wide crescent neckline of her tunic bordered her cleavage. There was only the moonlight but he can see her. She was beyond beautiful. Her skin was as a pearl and her long hair cascaded down her back. Dastan just stood bewitched.

A stand of hair fell on her right cheek and he slowly reached up, rested his palm on her face and pushed the hair out with his thumb. She held her breath. This was the first time a man had touched her and it was not fear that she felt but a strange excitement. He was bewitched by her and his mind left him from the present state of affairs.

In that distraction, Tamina grabbed the dagger off his belt and pushing him off held it in front of her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi Everyone, hope your day was good and hope this chapter is good. Thank you for your reviews and keep them coming!**

**Chapter 4**

Both of them stood in shock at Tamina's action. Dastan was embarrassed that Persia's formidable worrier can be held at knife point, distracted by a beautiful face. Then again, this was not just a beautiful face but the most beautiful site he ever held in his eyes. Tamina was surprised by her own bravery and now wondered what to do next. She clearly had not thought this through.

"Give… lead… lead the horse to me," she said, unsure of what she is to do.

"So I assume you are going to ride away from here, leaving me in the middle of nowhere?" Dastan questioned calmly as he spread his arms at his side to show he made no threat.

"Yes," she said confidently.

All the scheming but all she needed to do was to distract him and steal the horse. She is thankful that he removed his weapons from his person earlier or else her head would have sadly parted from her body.

"So that's honorable? I knew it! Should have known when you did not bawl out your eyes you would be scheming to trick me," Dastan shook his head with a laugh.

Tamina was now insulted that a woman with a weapon was so entertaining to him. "So this is all so amusing for you? Horse!"

Seeing that she was very confident in her actions, Dastan turned the horse and led it to her.

"Stand over there. Over there!" she shouted when he did not do as she commanded at first.

As he turned to leave, he swiftly spun around and the next thing Tamina noted was the dagger being knocked off her hands and Dastan plucked it out of the air. Her hands still bound, she scrambled to the floor and picked up his sword, and without a thought, swung it at him.

Dastan, in defense he jumped back effortlessly and raised the dagger high, gripping it hard to null the power of the sword. As he did so, he unwillingly pressed the jeweled hilt.

The surrounding stood still and his ears began to roar with a boom of a sandstorm. All he felt was the separation of his body and he elevated in the air. Embers crawled up his arms and, as he swirled in the void, he saw all their actions in reverse. Dastan shook his head and his jaw dropped in shock. His grip on the dagger loosened with his mind weak and at that moment, he was violently thrown back in to his body.

They were back at the place where she swung the sword at him but with his mind occupied with the strange rewind of time, she slashed right across his chest.

"Oh gosh!" Tamina panicked at the blood gushing from Dastan's chest. The dagger cannot be taken by the spilling of blood. If she takes the dagger into the temple now, the very foundations will shake unleashing the sandstorm of the gods. "You silly Persian!" she said in disgust.

Dastan looked flabbergasted, his mouth and eyes gaping at her.

"Did… you… you see that? Time… time reversed…"

At those words, Tamina's blood ran cold and the sword fell from her hand. She looked at the hilt.

"You've used the dagger," she said in a desperate voice.

"It… it reversed time… it's… magic…" before Dastan could finish his sentence, the loss of blood made him fall on his knees. However, in his weakness, he knew what he can do - reverse time.

As he prepared to once again press the jewel on the hilt, Tamina rushed to him and in an out of character action, pressed the ruby herself, reversing rewind stormed around her. She held the jewel down looking at the sand reducing. She would love to pass the point where he unveiled her but she needed the sand for actual emergencies than vanity.

She let go and instantly, they were back to the place where he had just unveiled her. Her panic at the events erased by the sand made her breath and heart race and closing her eyes, she forced herself to calm. That is when she once again felt his touch.

He pushed her hair back and Dastan looked at her lips almost wanting to press his lips to them and now that she is not busy killing him, she strangely wished he did.

"I will help you," she said knowing the other path she planned will be disastrous.

Dastan stood silent, lips apart and yet tracing her lips with his eyes. She said his name again and being awakened from the trance, he spoke, "Er... yes... good choice! Let's get ready to ride."

"No, that is a silly thing to do," she replied.

"Look, Garsiv is tracking us and he will…"

"How does he hunt?" she interrupted him.

"What?"

"When he hunts, does he track himself?" she clarified her question to him.

"Yes... well no. He tracks himself too but he also has a very good navigator," Dastan replied.

"How is he in battle? Is he a strategist?" she queried again.

"Only head on. But he is fiercely loyal to the crown and merciless in war," Dastan added.

"Which means he is tracking you with his heart than his mind," she said to herself before asking if their relationship was a close one.

"Of course. He's my brother," he said offended at the question.

"Being a brother does not make people close. Are you close to him?" she questioned again.

"Yes, we are or were," he said sadly.

"Now is not the time to be sentimental! Are you a good strategist?" she asked.

"I am more of the improvising type. Roll with the punches kind. What's all this questioning?" Dastan shook his head trying drowning her voice out and preparing the horse for departure.

"I'm trying to help you. Your brother has no idea that I am with you and chances are, he is looking for only you," she said.

"So?"

"So stick by me if you want to live. He will expect you to ride straight to Nasaf from the South. Where we are now is the Northern trek to Avrat. This is where the split happens. The hidden smuggling route we took in a moment is going to be filled with hoofmarks. The smugglers do it so that the northern winds will blow the treks at daybreak" she narrated.

"So if we leave from here now, Garsiv is going to see our prints heading north if he makes it to this point before dawn," Dastan replied finally understanding where Tamina is coming from.

"Exactly, and knowing you, he will guess that you will go with the smugglers to whomever is supporting you on your presumed murderous quest. So he will try to track you at night knowing that you will travel at night," she explained as best she could.

"So your plan is to hide here for the night and travel during day?" Dastan questioned.

"I advise it. The mountain's shadow shields us tonight," she replied.

He nodded in agreement and Tamina assumed that peace had been made between them. Both stood quiet until Tamina raised her bound hands to him.

"Untie me," she demanded.

"Nope, not going to happen. You are going to be like that until I say so. I don't want you running off," he said as he dragged her off by her arm to the cavity in the rocks.

Dastan pushed Tamina to the corner and retrieving a rolled up rug from the saddle, gave it to her to use as a pillow. She stared in anger at him with, teeth grinding with frustration. As he looked on, she covered her neck and cleavage in a sudden feeling of nakedness with the scarf Dastan had removed earlier.

Dastan laughed at her assumption that he may violate her and with a smirk said, "Don't flatter yourself."

He walked out to the open air and looked at the night sky. The breeze comforted his face but the feeling of loss of his father to death and his brothers to lies ripped his heart.

Tamina looked at the figure standing against the night. His rich coat moving against the wind broke the silence. For the first time, Tamina felt for him. The man that stood against the desert was not a proud royal or a brutal warrior. It was a son who had lost his father. She laid her head on the rug and was determined to keep a watch but she fell asleep against her own will - she had been awake for over a day and the fatigue finally broke her.

Dastan waited until she was asleep and lead the horse into the cavity. He obscured the tracks and sat next to Tamina. He closed his eyes but without sleep, tears gushed for his father and the pain of the situation.

The dessert once again grew silent and frozen as the whole world slept with the young couple.

The peace only lasted only for a little while as Tamina was suddenly woken by a whimper by the horse. Her eyes shot open in fear that Garsiv had discovered them. She found Dastan trying to calm the horse down and looking beyond at the sky, she knew that it was almost dawn.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a whisper but alert against her sleep.

"Garsiv, he must be close," Dastan replied as he held the horse by the reigns.

"The horse told you that?" she whispered mockingly.

"It's Garsiv's horse!"

Her eyes grew wide and she scrambled to her feet, pushing herself off the floor with bound hands. "Are you insane? You escape on the horse of the man who is tracking you?"

"Not the time for judgment! It is the best horse in the kingdom," Dastan argued in whispers.

"Move," Tamina pushed him aside and stroked the horse's forehead. She whispered something in a foreign language and closing her eyes, kept her head against it. It slowly calmed down.

They held their breath and hoped that Garsiv will not hear them. The wind carried the Persian's voices to them, inching ever closer. Tamina squeezed her eyes tight in fear for she knew Garsiv had no reason to let her live. She prayed that whatever her fate may be, the Gods would protect the dagger. Every heartbeat was felt between them and certain death seemed imminent as the Persians grew closer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi Everyone! Thank you for your reviews. I know it seems same but please give it a chance. Have a great weekend =)**

**Chapter 5**

They stood quiet for what seemed like an hour and unable to hear the cavalry anymore, rested easy that the plan had worked. She smiled and affirmed it to him.

"What do you mean it worked? You didn't know it was going to work?" Dastan asked surprised in the worst possible manner.

"I'm not the idiot who brought this horse here!"

"How long have you been wondering out to the desert?" he questioned to see if who he placed his life with is competent.

This was the time Tamina was praying against. She had tried her best to win his trust and gaps in her story may jeopardise her plan to be as close to the dagger as possible. "Doesn't matter," she quipped as she sat back at her place.

"How long?" he pressed again.

"Never," she said after weighing the best way forward. Dastan stood shocked.

"I have to take directions from a person who has never even done it before?" Dastan asked as he squat down next to her.

She looked at him now, her face unveiled as before. "Well I saved you so far now haven't I?"

Dastan looked away boiling with anger and feeling desperate if Tamina could not help him. "When did you last step out into the desert?" he questioned again.

"Well... this may be... one of the first times..." Tamina replied timidly.

All Dastan did was look at Tamina in shock and turned in anger and lay down to sleep. She suddenly felt that she betrayed him and the disappointment within made her uncomfortable. Tamina was above anything spiritual and believed in doing what is etched in integrity. It was then she decided that as much as she wanted to take the dagger away from him, she now owed him her help. There was a strange feeling in her heart that their paths did not only cross but now their lives are bound to each other.

His back was turned towards her and she knew that he was awake even though it was only his shallow breathing she heard. She wanted so much to profess what she felt but that choice was not there if she wanted to keep the dagger safe.

She was woken when Dastan was once again saddling the horse. It was early morn and the sun streamed into their hiding place. This was so far from every single morning she ever knew. Every day, she would be woken up, cleansed, prayed, ate and took care of the affairs of her people. She had now been rudely awakened by a man who simply said, "Let's go".

Dastan got on the horse and pulled Tamina up on to the saddle, still with her wrist bound. He was still annoyed at her for, in his mind, lying about how much she knows of tracking. Even worse was that Dastan had only her to depend on.

"Which direction?" he asked coldly not even attempting to turn towards her. She pointed to the direction and Dastan they continued on silently for over an hour towards Avrat.

"How long will it take for us to reach Avrat? They... they will perform the last rights for my father in three days," he said with emotion at the last words.

"We will have to travel day and night with very little rest to reach there," Tamina replied.

"Then that is exactly what we will do," Dastan said as he urged Aksh on.

The ride to Avrat was a quiet with Dastan hardly speaking to Tamina except few words to clarify direction or offer water, which they were soon running out of. She could however, feel the dagger at his waist. At noon, they stopped at a patch of vegetation. Tamina almost collapsed at the edge of the pond and, removing her veil, scooped water from her bound hands making a scruff escape from Dastan's lips.

"Women are so soft," Dastan said again as he drew Aksh to the water.

She boiled at his sexist remark but only gave a stern stare as a reply. The Prince was yet an unknown soul even though her heart was leaping to trust him.

"I need some privacy," Tamina said. She had wanted to relieve herself but had postponed asking for fear of his rebuttal and his presence. She would have to move her pants in close proximity of a man and who knew what barbaric thoughts it will entice.

"And I need to get exonerated," Dastan replied as a matter of fact.

"No… what... what I mean is... I need to be alone for... do... things which are natural," she staggered words out confusing Dastan even more.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

She hesitated a bit more and with her veil off, he saw every bit of her insecurity etched on the face making him smile involuntarily.

"Oh just tell me what you want woman!" he said in annoyance.

"I want to pee!" she screamed out unexpectedly.

Dastan pressed his lips together to avoid the laugh that was playing at his throat. Prisoner she may be but he did understand that the female of the species had it more difficult when it comes to these matters.

"Should have said that without using fancy terms! When you want to take a piss say you want to take a piss, you want to take a sh..." he stopped when he saw Tamina's face which was a mixture disgust and urgency at the matter.

"Fine, go... ten seconds," he concluded and turned around.

"Where?" she whispered, looking around.

"What do you mean where? Go anywhere. You are in the desert, the whole place is a big chamber pot!" he said in annoyance as he turned towards her again. She stretched her bound hands forward, jesting to release her.

He shook his head. "Not happening. You don't need free hands to... to go. And as soon as I let your hands free, I have a bad feeling you will try kill me or something. So go. Now. Before you go on yourself ," he mocked.

"I can't go with you watching! Where is your sense of respect? Dignity?" she stared daggers at him.

"Fine, I am going to be behind that bush. You have ten seconds!"

As soon as he disappeared behind the foliage, Tamina looked around in haste.

It had been over the allotted time and Dastan's patience was wearing thin with no reply from her after several call outs. "Oh no you didn't," he said to himself, understanding that she may have escaped. He ran to where he left her expecting an empty oasis. But there she was, standing, with tears in her eyes, trying to twist her hands in an awkward manner to release the knot from the lace passed on her pant waist. That is what delayed her. That sight made Dastan understand his cruelty towards her.

He was in front of her in four strides and reached for her pants. Tamina gasped and used her bound wrist to block his way to what she believed his abuse. Dastan looked at her their eyes met, and he understood her actions.

"Oh don't flatter yourself! I'm trying to take your pants out so that you can go," he said suppressing a smile.

She looked down at the knot in between the slit of her tunic and she raised her hands to indicate her willingness to accept his help.

Dastan went to work on the knot and as he did so, his fingers brushed against her stomach. Tamina's head shot up and looked at him, so close to her, and the feeling of his fingers on her skin introduced a strange feeling of arousal and excitement.

Dastan felt the same at the touch of her soft skin but kept to his work to hold his feelings in.

He untied it, "I... I will whistle from where I am so you know where I am."

Dastan stood and whistled away as he tried to put the image of her eyes out of his mind. He stopped when he heard her soft voice say she's done. She was washing her hands on the stream when he walked in, guilt still there as his decision to keep her bound.

"I...I promise you that... that once we reach Avrat and I meet my uncle and you say what you saw about the robe, I will free you... You can go. But until such time I cannot take the risk of releasing you," he said almost genuine to her ears. She made no reply.

He handed some fresh dates picked from the surrounding to her and simply ushered her to proceed. She put her veil back on and traced his body for the dagger. It was there, still at his waist and she quickly inscribed her clue for Asoka on the rock she sat on. The sun was burning on them and Tamina was thankful that they rode on horseback and would not walk in the scorching sun.

They did not stop or take rest until nightfall and Tamina once again found some vegetation that could shield them for the night. He built a small fire and suddenly appeared with a dead bird.

"Food," he said smiling, but she was far from it.

Tamina sat on a rock and looked at Dastan cleaning the bird. She looked away but suddenly she felt warm and lightheaded at the sound of the feathers being plucked. She hurriedly tore off her veil and vomited the little she ate earlier. He simply laughed.

"Good to eat but don't want to know where it is from. Typical spoilt little lady, aren't you?"

Tamina combed the lose stands of her hair with the palm of her hands to direct her attention from Dastan, his words and what he is doing now.

"I don't eat meat," she said.

"What?"

"I said I don't eat meat... that's why your actions caused me distress," she said and walked away to Aksh. Dastan shook his head again.

"Even worse than I thought! I don't trust vegetarians. I think it's silly," he said while he mounted the fresh on a rod to roast. "All this good food and you eat the food of the animals you are pretending to protect," he laughed and only got a disdain hard look from her.

"It's a joke woman. Laugh!"

"It is because of my religion that I do not consume meat. As a priestess I must keep myself pure always," she clarified herself.

Tamina tried in vain to block the smell of the roasting flesh and once again turned her attention to Aksh.

"The veil, is a that religious thing too?" he asked with his curiosity aroused. Unfortunately for Tamina, she had no truths to present and improvising came into play.

"Yes," she said.

"Why or how does it help with religion?"

_Oh Tamina, what did you get yourself into!_

"How I look may... may disrupt people's hearts and make them veer away from prayer. My face should only be for my husband," she quickly weaved a tale hoping to put an end to his questions. But she thought wrong.

"First of all, 'how I look distract people'? You are very much into flattering yourself aren't you? Secondly, you can marry? Isn't the... the," he hesitated looking for gentle words to put his question through, "the husbandly duties going to ruin your holiness or something. I though you all will be virgins."

Tamina rolled her eyes in frustration again at his stupidity. However, she did have an answer, a true answer which she believed in.

"What a husband and wife shares is sacred and given by the Gods. Their lives are a duty which is like a praise filled song to heaven," she said.

Dastan simply laughed, "Then Tus is proving unending songs to them."

The mention of his brother off his own lips made thoughts about the death of his father flood to mind. He looked at the embers in silence making Tamina turn. She looked at him, only the low glow of the fire illuminating his face. He suddenly got up and came to her.

"Hold out your hands," he said.

Tamina did not speak but slowly he raised her hands hoping that he will release her from her bonds. Instead, he placed some dates and nuts he had found along the way in her hands.

"What little food we find, fruits and vegetables or some leaf or the other to you and I will keep any meat for me," he said and turned away to proceed to his roasted bird.

"Sleep by me tonight," he said in between tearing the flesh off the bones.

"What? I... I will do no such thing! You think you could..."

"Calm down you silly woman! I'm not trying to have my way with you or whatever crazy thought you are having! This is not a cave. This is out in the open. Neither do I want you to run away nor dragged away by some gypsy or criminal. Really, you do think highly of yourself. And if I wanted you, I would have had you by now," he said just to incite annoyance from her. "So come here and lie down princess," he pointed to his side but Tamina was shocked at the title he used.

"Why did you call me princess?" she questioned.

"Because you talk like one!"

Dastan took his scarf and covering his nose and mouth as she does, and started to speak imitating a girl.

"I want to help you! I don't want to help you! Don't tie me! I want water! I want food! My feet hurt! I only eat grass!"

Tamina tried in vain to hide a laugh but it involuntary escaped her lips. "I am not a princess," she said firmly.

"I know," he replied discarding his scarf, "because if you are a princess, you would have fainted an hour into the day. Now sleep because we leave before dawn." She reluctantly went to his side and laid her head on the rolled up rug. She looked at the embers now glowing red and with time, drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Tamina gasped as she awoke from a bad dream where she was falling off a cliff in the sandglass chamber.

It was just before dawn and the dessert had a dark blue hue and the wind rustled the palm leaves. She felt something heavy resting against her stomach. She kept her hand on it and looked at it, her sleep laden eyes adjusting to the dawn. It was an arm, his arm! Dastan had slept close to her with his arm over her! Tamina's body stiffened at the realization and the change of form woke Dastan up too. Warrior for life, he awoke sharp and looking at Tamina's face and his hand against her, swiftly got to his feet.

Both were embarrassed at the sleeping positions. "I... I have a pillow... at..." Dastan said trying to justify why his hand was around her but failing at it, turned to gather the things. "Let's go," he said.

They traveled far that day without stopping and Tamina was dizzy with the heat and fatigue that she slipped on a rock falling down on the sand. He did not even turn back but proceeded as Avrat was now in sight.

Dastan looked over the cliff to the city gates where a long line of dignitaries were making their way into the city.

"They have all come for my father's funeral," he said in a somber voice.

Tamina looked at him, feeling pity for the first time, but she knew his thoughts were on getting into Avrat.

"There are a hundred Persian soldiers watching that gate," Tamina said as she looked on.

"Maybe more," was his unaffected reply.

"Let this go, Prince Dastan. You will get caught and they will make your head roll before a word is uttered. "

Tamina's discouragement enraged Dastan and he swiftly turned to her, "if want you to stay closeto the dagger, you're going to have to help me."

Tamina stood stunned at his words. How did he know? What did he know?

"Don't look so shocked _princess_. I have seen you eying the dagger from the time we stepped out of Alamut! That chain of yours looks so much like it too. What's it to you?" he questioned.

"What's it to you?" she countered hoping he would not figure out that her whole journey has to do with that dagger or worse, its powers.

"Why is that dagger so important to all you people? The city is under siege and they send possibly the best warrior to take a knife out of the place?"

"It… the… the dagger is an ancient artifact which we believe is from the Gods. That is why it was so important to be out of the hands of the Persians," she said hoping he will succumb to the story.

Dastan thought about it for a while. The dagger and its safe return will help him with Alamut when he exonerates himself and his gut did not think it was best to reveal the dagger as yet.

"Well rest assured that the dagger is safe. I hid it in one of the caves. Taking it around is too dangerous and attracts too much attention to us. We should not have anything that could be magnets for thieves," he said as he turned to make the descent to Avrat.

Tamina knew that questioning him about the location or being excited about the dagger will only rouse his suspicions. She had a connection to the dagger and she knew, she felt when it was safe. It was now, where ever Dastan had hid it. Asoka was taking so long to find her and she is alone in the middle of Persian soil. Now all she needed was a chance to get away from him and search for the dagger.

"Prince Dastan, wait," she ran after him.

"Prince Dastan, Dastan! How are you going to get into the city? They will kill you," she tried to reason.

"The soldiers are too busy with the main gate. Supply route from the west gate, no one would care and no one would look for me from there," he said.

As planned, they blended in with a supply caravan and slipped into Avrat. The city was in mourning at the death of their King and preoccupied with the royal funeral. Dastan covered Tamina's bound hands with a scarf and led her to a rooftop.

He leant against the railing looking at the casket carrying his father trace the quiet streets of Avrat. Tamina looked on as his eyes fill with tears.

"Tus isn't here - he must be in Alamut or Nasaf. I have to get a message to my uncle to meet me," Dastan said.

"That's impossible," she said but he barely heard her words as he disappeared down the pathway.

Tamina tried to follow down the path but with her face covered and hands bound, she was soon lost. She stood in in a corner watching out for him and within a minute, he approached from behind and whispered into her ear.

"Difficult, not impossible."

"One more proof, you're insane," Tamina argued.

"Why do you look so impressed?" he said as he led her to a marketplace.

Tamina was instructed to stay with Aksh at the supply gate in case the plan did not work. Strangely, it was difficult for him to leave her alone. He cared. He knew that if they are found together, she would be in danger. She watched him disappear and in it, she had a chance to escape.

He looked at his uncle, with his scarf covering his face, trying hard to blend in and picking pomegranates.

"You used to buy those for me when I was a boy," Dastan said.

"You used to spit the seeds at Garsiv. You shouldn't have brought me here, Dastan," Nizam replied.

"I had no choice uncle, follow me."

Dastan led him to a storeroom and he tried to explain his position.

"I didn't kill father, you know. I'd never do such a thing," he pleaded.

"Your actions speak otherwise."

"I had no choice but to flee. Uncle I have a witness who knows that the robe was fake and it was set up," he explained.

The next thing he knew was an arrow whizzing past his eye on to a post. It was a trap! His uncle laid down a trap. Dastan rushed through the streets fighting the soldiers streaming from every corner. Them he could take but he heard the battle cry too familiar- Garsiv.

He was battered and bruised more from the anger and mistrust of Garsiv. He hated fighting his brother but he had no choice. He had to stay alive and survive for the sake of the empire. He rushed to the gate where Tamina would be and he was met with an empty space. She had escaped. He was trapped and his entrance just made two guards very suspicious that this is the disgraced prince.

He can feel them coming close, shouting for his attention. He never expected that he would be caught so easily as a common thief. He has made peace with his father and knowing that both Nizam and Garsiv thought the worst of him, Dastan felt his will to escape drain. He slowly rotated himself but before he could look at the soldiers, he felt a touch on his arm. He looked up to see her, still veiled, but with her hands free. One hand was on his arm whereas the other on her belly which clearly looked with child!

"There you are husband! We got a good price for the cheese in the market today," she said cheerfully.

Dastan was stunned at Tamina's action but feeling the glare of the soldier, he instinctively placed his hand on hers and the other on the small of her back. He had seen Tus do that when his first wife was with child. Perhaps it was something you have to do.

"Ver... very good... let me take you home now... you must be tired," he replied calmly as he saw the soldiers lose interest in a young couple.

He led them out of the labyrinth of streets, careful to blend in as much as he can.

"You ran away!" he accused.

"No, I thought of a better plan. Do you really think the people and soldiers will not notice the horse with the riding saddle worth possibly than more gold than they will ever see in their whole life? I made some friends, whose clothes I am wearing at this moment. They are just beyond the gate with Aksh," she replied still in character, holding her belly.

"What makes you think they won't steal the horse?"

"They are Alamutians. We are honorable people," she replied as they closed in on the exit gate. The guards hurried to expel the commoners from Avrat with the royal presence while many kept watch for the fugitive Prince.

Dastan hesitated at the sight thinking out loud for a plan to escape noting the position of guards and arms.

"You, _husband_, do not know how to do things subtlety, " she explained with a hint of arrogance as she nodded to a boy on the rooftop.

The little one ran to the other edge and waved frantically at his friend. Tamina could hear her own heartbeat drum in anticipation and clutched Dastan's arm which was supporting her back. He looked confused but she whispered, "be ready to run."

Before he could understand her words, a cry ran out behind them of a little voice in the square, "Prince Dastan! It's him! There!"

Many more joined in and Dastan's blood ran cold. She betrayed him!

He stood and watched as the guards from the gate rush towards him. He grabbed her arm to use her as a hostage, pulling her painfully to him.

In a second they were in front of him but as swiftly, the guards passed them and ran to the square leaving a mere three guards to control hundreds of people at the exit.

"Hurry," she whispered in haste pulling him towards the gate. It was then that he realised that _she_ was rescuing _him_... again. Within minutes, they were out of the gates with the guards looking for the prince in Avrat. As trusted, the Alamutian family awaited their return and feeling sorry for Tamina, gave her an extra change of clothes and water. As she thanked them with no gifts but the promise of lifting their kindness to God, the old woman grabbed Tamina's hand and whispered in old Alamutian language. She smiled and went to Dastan who extended his hand for her to mount the horse.

"What did she say?" he questioned.

"Oh just an old Alamutian blessing for our journey."

They rode off into the desert in silence until the night covered the land. This time, there was no shade or sanctuary but a dune to hide against. There was no fire, no food, and no conversation. Dastan sat away from her but she did not look away buy removed her veil to bare her face to him. She felt his sadness, his pain. She found herself confused with her feelings towards him.

He was the prince who violated her city and blood of her people yet stained his hands. However, she could not stop herself from her thoughts of him.

"I... I guess your uncle did not believe you," Tamina finally said.

"Uncle and brother," he sighed.

"What happened?"

"My uncle set up a trap. The place was crawling with guards and I hardly said a word to him. He wanted me to surrender," he said almost lamenting.

"Prince Tus was there?"

"Garsiv. He came after me wielding an axe as usual, his solution to everything. I do not know what is more painful, being accused of my father's murder or my brothers and uncle believing that I did," he said and stood up to pace as he always does.

"Prince Dastan, you cannot blame them as they saw what they did and...The mind pieces together events closest to reality. But you tried, you said your farewell to your father and now you must make peace with yourself," she advised.

Dastan paced. When he was upset, he paced and for her, it was something she knew of him from her own eyes. She could see his face from where she was and dark liquid trail from his nostril and left temple evident of his injuries.

Tamina did not know why but she saw herself reach to the spare clothes given by the Alamutian family and tore a clean strip off. Wetting the cloth with the little water she had in the waterskin, walked to him and stood by.

"Let me have a look at your cut. It may get infected, "she said as she held up the cloth.

"Since when do you care what happens to me? You wished me dead two days ago. Besides as Persia's formidable warrior, I've had worse. My wounds have had wounds," he replied trying to act cheerful.

"Oh Prince Dastan, no one died of an infected cut as little as that but at the same time, walking around with pus oozing out is not my preference, " Tamina replied, herself trying to act as unaffected as she can.

He did not answer but turned towards her implying his acceptance of her help. She did save his life twice. Tamina raised her hand and wiped the blood which had poured from his nose to his upper lip. She reached up and as the cloth touched the slit on his forehead, his eyes twitched for the sting. Dastan looked at her. Her face so close to his, masked with concern in cleaning his wound. She was beyond any beauty he had seen and this after three days in the desert. She was bewitching him and he felt his lips being drawn to hers. Tamina, feeling his closeness tried to calm her palpitating heart but her hand involuntarily stilled. She wanted to know how it would feel to be kissed but this was Prince Dastan. She was with him for the dagger and that alone.

He looked right into her eyes and Tamina feared that her soul would betray her thoughts. She blinked to server the contact and stepped back, breaking the trance they were in. Yet Dastan reached to her not willing to part and caught her hand from the wrist making Tamina exhale in pain.

The rope which kept her bound for three days had eaten into her skin in the dry desert heat and sand. He looked at the manifestation of his cruelty; he looked at what he had done. Reality of his situation and the promises he made set in. How could he kiss her? It would be a spoil of war, a possession; she would surrender to him as a prisoner and misplaced desire from the pain he had gone though. It was not right.

"I promised that I will let you free once you took me to Avrat. I should have left you with the Alamutians. You are free from now on. In the morning, let's find you a village or caravan to take you back," he said as he released her right wrist.

Dastan moved to spread the rolled up carpet on the floor, "But now, get some sleep. I will keep watch."

She laid her head down on the carpet and turned away from him. She was concerned at how close she had come to kissing him. She has never kissed or been kissed and this was so close... too close. Her duty was to protect the dagger no matter the cost. Within days, she had managed to veer off her calling to help a Prince who destroyed her city. She pushed her people off her mind as taught and now she must learn to push whatever thoughts she had of him out of her mind. However, her heart seemed to take another path.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi Everyone! Thank you for your comments (esp ireadbooksandpeople). Hope you guys enjoy and please give my story a chance.**

**Chapter 7**

It was always heard in the palace that the best way to nip an attraction in the bud, was to be yourself and while that may be warning heeded by proper princesses in search of marriage arranged for everything but love, that was the only solution Tamina can think of to ward off her interest in Dastan.

He was handsome and his physic was, well… would make anyone swoon. As she did have to spend more time with him, she decided it would be on her terms as he needs her more. She had been leaving Asoka secret guides along the way and she knew that he will find her within a matter of days. The thoughts ran through Tamina's head as they loaded the horse once again for their journey.

"So Dastan, what's your plan now?" she asked in the most 'Tamina' way possible. It surprised her as she has never been herself with anyone else before.

He was taken by surprise at her tone and manner, and after gathering his thoughts, replied, "Nasaf. Tus would be there."

"Oh so we are going from Avrat to the Royal City of Nasaf which is sure to have less guards," she mocked.

"I have to speak to my brother."

"Because talking to Garsiv turned out so well?" she quipped.

He stopped saddling the horse and walked fiercely to her, "That's Prince Garsiv to you and I need to make them believe me. There is some conspiracy against the empire."

"Das... Prince Dastan, you will..." before she could finish her sentence, he pounced on her again.

"What? Lose my head? That's the only thing you have been saying the whole time!" he barked.

Tamina stood shocked at his tone but spoke again.

"Yes because you are not thinking straight. You were seen in Avrat and it may now be known you were there to murder the rest of the family and throw your brother's young reign into chaos," she tried to reason.

Dastan looked at her in surprise.

"Those were the rumors spread on the matter. Heard it whispered in the market place and I have gathered information while I awaited you. Let's go back to Alamut and get help. We can uncover what schemes are against the Empire from there. All roads to Nasaf from here will be crawling with soldiers. I will help you of my own free will," she said but Dastan shook his head in reply.

Tamina walked to him and stretched out her hands to expose her bruised wrist.

"Dastan, you may bind me if you do not trust me but I believe I have earned your trust and your life is proof of it."

She was right and he knew it too no matter how annoying it may be.

"Will Alamut help me after what I did?" he asked in doubt.

"Alamut will help _me_," she answered.

For Tamina, this was very easy. All she needed to do was to lead him to Alamut and on his way, convince him that returning the dagger to the Princess is a good gesture and it would be back safe within Alamut.

"Three days walking back?"

"Four days. We need to go through another route just to be safe. It is not advised to trace back," Tamina explained.

"And you are going to help me even though I let you free?"

"Yes," she simply replied.

"Why?"

"Royalty has made you jaded. I told you before. I know you are innocent and I want to help you. It is what my religion taught me to do," Tamina replied to his surprise.

He was different now as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders and Tamina attributed that to being able to pay his respects to his father. Dastan was different to the man she saw just a few days ago in the streets of Alamut, drinking and bantering with his friends. He had perhaps matured.

"However," she suddenly said, "now that I am no longer your prisoner and I am helping you, I get to do and say what I want!"

Dastan was taken aback by her tone. It was a different woman to the one who was beside him earlier, scornful and silent. She caught him looking at her.

"What? Surprised that I can speak my mind?" she quipped as she started to roll up the rug.

"No, I am surprised that you speak!"

She gave a fake smile as a reply.

"Listen Dastan," she said and looking at his raised eyebrows, "Yes I'm done calling you Prince Dastan, the faster I get you to your brother, the faster I can get away from you. Apart from your brooding and slave-driving ways, you also smell like a camel!"

"Yes and you think you smell like a garden of roses?" he mocked.

"No but at least now I have a change of clothes. Let's go," she commanded and started to walk leaving Dastan to follow.

It was an interesting journey back to Alamut. Tamina constantly berated the Persians and Dastan was a worthy opponent with his wit. However, she did not care for any propriety now that she was no longer a prisoner, knows the dagger is safe and on her way to Alamut. If fact, she was sure that they will meet Asoka.

They walked endlessly and two days in, close to Alamut, Tamina was narrating how she is going to enjoy the cool fresh water when he suddenly covered her mouth and pulled Aksh back. Tamina was furious that he would do this to her just because she spoke too much, or so he complained.

"Nizam's guards. I don't think they saw us," he said but as soon as he did so, the heard the men shout.

He grabbed Tamina and mounted Aksh.

"We cannot out run them. They are going to catch up and I will fight as much as I can but they will come after you. They want me more. Get the horse and ride off," he shouted as he rode towards the rock valley.

"No! I will not leave you," she shouted back.

"Woman, now is not the time to argue with me!"

"Dastan, I fight with you," she said as she dug her hands into him.

He got off the horse and took one of two swords out. He placed the sword and a dagger in each of Tamina's hands and held her by them.

"If they attack you, use the sword to block and plunge the dagger deep into him. Don't think," he said as he moved her hands to show what to do.

Dastan could hear the two horsemen but his mind was occupied with the worry he had for her safety. He moved close again, looking at her lips, longing to know how it feels to kiss her before they are captured or killed.

"If something happens to me you _must_ run," he stressed.

Dastan ushered Aksh up the rocks and he turned to fight, pushing Tamina once again behind him.

The warriors' jumped off the horse and Dastan ran forward to meet them hoping to keep both occupied to prevent them going after Tamina. He battled them on, their sword slashing and chiming against his own. He was on his back foot, dagger knocked off and desperate to get his bearing from a blow to his chin when he heard her cry. He looked up fearing worst only to see Tamina wielding the sword against one of the Persians. Dastan was knocked onto a rock and the enemy blade was close his neck, but both stopped to see Tamina deftly attacking the Persian swordsman.

She countered every single move of the enemy sword with hers, dropping, turning and sliding away from the sweeping sword. The skill she displayed was beyond what Dastan knew of any woman. This gave him the distraction to attack and soon he felt the life of the warrior drain from the stab he inflicted. Tamina could only wound but it immobilised the man. Even though they were enemies, she valued life and to see it be taken away was revolting.

She stood holding the sword and dagger tight until her knuckles were white. Dastan took her by the hand and pulled, "come on. We need to put distance between us and them."

They climbed the rock formation to higher ground and, mounting Aksh, they rode off as fast as they could away from Alamut, disappointed and disheartened. It was his chance to meet Tus and for her, she was so close to home, to salvation.

They stopped at a stream after dark and Tamina ripped the scarf off her face and fell at its bank. She was so close to home and that thought brought tears to her eyes.

"What are you not telling me?"

"What?" she asked tying to act unaffected by Dastan's suspicious tone.

"You just took out a man twice your weight with a skill I have only seen in a warrior. That is not your typical maid behavior," he said as he stepped into the water by her.

"I am not a maid! I told you that a million times. I am a priestess!"

"Who fights?"

"Yes, who fights," she shouted as she stood up. "We just got attacked and our location may be known but let's argue about the fact that I was handy in a fight!"

"Everywhere you take me, trouble seems to find me and I am not fond of it. We separate here and I am going to Nasaf," he said and trusted his feet to storm off. However, he stood glued, looking at her.

Tamina knew she had to think fast if she was to stay close to the dagger and that annoying feeling of concern for Dastan once again crept in. "You will be killed before you make a day into the journey."

"Let them kill me!"

"So you will lie down and die after all this. Days into the journey, we are attacked and you give up?" she reasoned. "There's something going on and you know it more than me. You will give up on your family?"

"They gave up on me," he said.

As he walked away, Tamina held his arm to stop him. He looked at where she held him, her hands yet stained with blood she spilled to save him. It was annoying that she had a way to make him listen, to open his mind.

"Dastan, they do not know what happened and neither do we. If we just proceed without thinking, we will get killed. I promised you help and I will," she whispered.

"Tus is wise and Garsiv is not without honour. I just need…I just need time to explain and I need the truth."

She looked at him. The same depressed hue clouded his eyes as she saw on the first few days. Yes, she needed to be with the dagger and he knows the location, but now, it was the feeling that she had to be with him that excited yet frightened her. It was if the Gods were talking to her. She could not fathom why but she knew there was one place they would be safe. It would mean to break her vow but, once he is safe and she sends word to Asoka, they can find the dagger.

"The Water Temple," she whispered.

"What ?"

"There is a temple away from all of this where we can wait and plan. There will be eagles to carry messages and my people can help to piece together what really happened. We can figure out who really took away your father's life. We can tell the grand council and the princess to dialogue with Prince Tus," she explained.

Dastan did not say anything but he felt her hand fall away from him. He wanted to believe her but why he was willing to proceed into what seemed like a trap was even baffling to him. He did not give an answer but simply turned to her.

"Are… are your hurt?" he asked.

"No, the blood is not mine."

He took her hand to his and looked at them. "The blood had dried. Soak a cloth and rub the stains off your hands."

With that, she knew that he had agreed to their journey.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi Everybody, hope you have enjoyed the story so far. Thank you for giving me a chance. Love loads**

**Chapter 8**

The anxiety that they would be discovered was keeping Dastan awake and after contemplating on it, he wanted to keep moving as soon as possible. Tamina did not share every secret she had and also feared Nizam's guards may follow them.

"How long will the journey take?" he asked.

"We will have to travel to the North and we cannot take the straight road," she advised.

"Of course you can't. How long?"

She hesitated, "Three weeks perhaps."

"Three weeks!"

"I'm not particularly thrilled either that I have to be stuck with you for three weeks but it is the best way. I memorized the path since I was a child. But we must ensure that no one can track us," Tamina assured.

Three weeks was a lot of time in anyone's mind but three weeks with each other seems as eternity. Tamina, as planned was being herself to escape the charm of the prince and Dastan, well he found great pleasure in annoying Tamina. To say the trip had its share of excitement was an understatement. There was always an incident which was beyond belief to the prim, proper and decent princess.

The argument about peeking

After two days in the scorching desert, they had stopped at a patch of vegetation and Tamina wished to wash herself. However, conscious of being without clothes, she wanted Dastan to go to the far end although he was now resting conformably by the water.

"Oh would you like me to do anything else for you your highness?" he jeered as he started to take out his boots to show that he is not moving from where he sat.

"I have to have a wash and I'm not going to be void of clothes in front of you," she spat back.

"That's your problem. I am sitting here, looking the other way and that's good enough," he replied.

"You can still peek," she accused.

"Oh you flatter yourself. I have seen naked women before and frankly, you don't measure up. Also, if I wanted to see you naked, I would have already done so," Dastan laughed as Tamina's jaw fell in shock.

So Tamina ended up having to tie her headscarf around her, walk backwards into the water and keep an eye on Dastan throughout. Although it was enticing to him that she was naked behind him, Dastan only smiled to himself and fought the feeling to turn back.

The argument about the his arm

On the fourth night, Dastan once again was caught with his hand around her. Startled and in the middle of the dessert, both of them engaged in row again.

"It is a force of habit," he shouted in defense.

"Oh how convenient now that you are next to a woman when your 'habit' kicks in?" she stood angry with her hands crossed. "Tell me which handsome soldier gets to have Prince Dastan's hand around him while you sleep when you go off to battle?"

Dastan was losing words at her persistence, "Well... er... first we don't 'sleep' when we go off to battle and second, they don't sleep close to me!"

"Then why do you sleep close to me?"

"I have to protect you," he said.

"From what? The only thing I need protection from are those wondering hands," she shouted back as she took her mat and walked across the fire.

Her defiance lasted about three days as she realised that she needed to be protected when she happily rolled down a dune in the night by accident. Dastan laughed so hard that night until his head hurt.

Needless to say, she slept next to him thereafter expecting to brush his hand off. One night, he was on his watch with Tamina sleeping by the fire, and there it was, a snake slithering across her belly. He took his sword to flick it off but as he stepped closer, he heard her mumble in her sleep.

"Dastan, take your hand off," she muttered in her sleep and flicked the snake off her. She fell back to sleep and _he _decided to keep it his secret.

Jealous about Jasmine

It had been a rough two days of trekking with Tamina lugging behind complaining endlessly on the foul choice she made to help him which led to her be 'stuck with him'.

"Oh, won't you ever shut up," he shouted as he stopped in his tracks and threw his head up, having had enough of her whining.

"Do you really think I'd want any of this? Forget about everything, do you think I want to be stuck with a maid berating me, a Prince of Persia, whenever she's awake?" he said and turned to proceed.

"I," he started to narrate again, "Would have been home, with my family or drinking with my friends or getting into fights for wager or anything if your silly royals weren't selling weapons to our enemies. I would have food and hangovers and time with Jasmine!"

While Tamina rolled her eyes at everything, she suddenly got very attentive to the female name.

"Jasmine," she said involuntarily and against her own will.

Dastan noticed the change in her tone from annoyance to that of a tone displaying a hint of jealousy.

"Yes, Jasmine," he smiled to himself.

"One of your hordes of girlfriends or a woman of ill repute?" she asked with a sneer. He could imagine how she looks right now just as every time she got annoyed. Chin up, shoulders back and averting her gaze from him with her lips pressed together.

"Neither! And women of ill repute? Just say whores. That's the thing with you... using five words to describe one word. That's why you talk too much woman," he lectured and paused before he continued.

"Jasmine is a princess and the best one at that. She is beautiful, kind and just makes everything better," he smiled but this time at the memory of the princess.

"You talk as if you love her," Tamina replied convinced that he is indeed attached to this princess.

"I do," was his simple reply.

However, the two words made her feel a sudden coldness. She thought about how they had almost kissed twice and to her, it did not make sense why he would do so with a love in his heart for another woman. She then remembered, the truth that she is a mere slave in his eyes and he a scoundrel prince. What ended up as curiosity now made her sad at the possibility that his intimacy towards her were of lust.

Ants in strange places

"Stop... I can't..." Tamina said as she rested her hands on her knees. They have walked most of the day to pass through this valley feared for the venomous snakes, scorpions and other viscous insects, so vile that it was called Demon's Mouth. Aksh's temper had been uncomfortable from the time they stepped in, and fearing that they will topple if he got further stressed, Dastan had decided they would walk through. He carefully flicked away each scorpion and centipede while steering Tamina from any snakes.

"Hey it was your idea to come through this place! So let's get out of here. We have less than an hour's walk," he ushered.

"Just a minute... please," she pleaded as she went to the shade of the rock.

If there was one thing he had learnt being with her these past weeks was that, he cannot win an argument with her. He employed the time to calm Aksh down but suddenly remembered the desert ants who line the walls. The little ants blended so well into the environment that you only see them once they dig their stinger into you. Dastan had learnt the hard way about them when he was fourteen and fell into a nest while fighting with Garsiv.

He looked at her, head hung and leaning against the wall. To his horror, he saw the brown wave of ants washing up her back. Exciting them would end painfully and exciting Tamina would be even worse. He had seconds to think.

"Hey," he said, "Could you just straighten up for a second."

"Dastan… please!"

"Woman, for once in your life listen," he said through his teeth.

She came forward and looked at him. "What now, your highness?"

"Forgive me," he said and before she could understand, he grabbed her tunic by the collar and in a swift motion, tore it down the middle, twisted her around and removed it and dashed it on the ground. Tamina shrieked and as her mind tried to make sense of it all. There she was topless, with her back to Dastan. She was princess and high priestess of Alamut, and here she was _half naked_, in the middle of the desert with a man!

She crossed her hands across her chest, speechless at what happened. However, Dastan was certainly pleased with his skill of removing a woman's clothes so easily.

"I knew that it will be useful one day," he said to himself thinking of all the women he had romanced.

Unfortunately, Tamina tuned to see his smirk and it was met with a sharp slap. As she raised her hand again, Dastan pointed to the floor where her white tunic was now turned brown with the fiery ants.

"Ants! There were ants on you," he laughed at the situation while Tamina once again brought her hand down on him, "And stop hitting me! Every time you raise your hands, your… your... parts are exposed!"

Tamina gasped in anger again and subduing his laughter, Dastan took off his own tunic and draped it on her.

"You're lucky it didn't get on your hair. Wear this first and change to your clothes once you have a bath," he said gently.

With ants disturbed and Tamina in bad mood, he decided to take a chance and ride out of this place while she argued on about every other way he could have got her out of the situation. Only when they made out of that forsaken place and found rest, that she realised that she had held on to his naked torso.

He was marked with scars from battles and the evening sun made his body gleam. He did not know that she was looking at him as he took her spare clothes, now the only clothes, and handed to her.

"I'm so mad with you," she spat and grabbed the robe from him. It was a worn brown robe the Alamutians had given to her at the outskirts of Avrat.

"What else is new?" he laughed and watched her turn and go behind the fold of a dune to change. He will miss her tunic. It had been the one she had on when she rescued him from the palace. Gold trimmed and soft, it only buttoned right below her breasts. He loved to turn and see it flap in the wind and expose her cream soft midriff. Well, he imagined it would be soft and Dastan smiled at his own thoughts. She was starting to captivate his heart and he did not know where this was leading.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The journey was not only of road but also in their relationship as Tamina discovered that the Prince did have good intentions and kindness in his heart, although he did not necessarily display it the best way.

There was a very spirited shoes fight in the middle of the desert when she tore her shoes.

"Of course they break. They are made out of fucking cloth," he shouted in anger at the delay of the journey.

"Oh oh, I am so sorry I did not know when I woke up in the morning that I had to save you and walk in the wilderness for weeks," Tamina replied in an equally frustrated tone. However without thinking, she removed her shoe and flung it at Dastan. Once she kept her foot down, the desert sand singed her foot making her jump in pain.

Dastan laughed at her but hearing the pain in her voice, he ran to her and put her over his shoulder against her protests. She remembers how he looked at her soles, blistered and burnet, with guilt and gave her water soaked cloth to sooth them. The next time they were close to a village, he told her, "If you see me running, run."

With that, he disappeared into the boarder and the next thing she saw was him running as fast as he could towards her with a pair of shoes.

"You stole them?"

"I borrowed them," was the simple reply.

He would endlessly question her on what the old woman said in ancient Alamutian language at that time outside Avrat just because she would always turn a deep shade of rose when it was brought up. Dastan loved it when she blushed and hid her smile.

"I told you," she would say, "it was just a saying for the journey,"

He knew it was a lie and vowed to find out the true meaning.

Dastan's care for Tamina never ceased although she felt different. The clothing destroyed in the ant incident weighed heavy on him and Tamina was once again left with one piece of clothing and soon they would be heading up to cooler climate. He had spotted a village earlier and giving her strict instructions to stay hidden with Aksh, he proceeded towards the village against her protests. Tamina boiled in anger at his selfishness to leave her to possibly get hot food and rest. He was absent for hours and the evening glow made way to the dark night. She was determined to ensure that he knew her displeasure but when he arrived, before a word was spoken, he placed a set of clothing, boots and a barley loaf beside her.

"Did you steal these?" she questioned in anger.

"I won them," he said without emotion or interest.

"From where?"

"I won money at dice. Enough to buy you those," he said as he pointed to the pile of clothes. There was no smell of rum or opium smoke from his clothes and he did not look as if his belly was full of meat and bread. He laid down and closed his eyes to sleep.

Tamina looked at the clothes. There was a long tunic with pants of white linen, a small embodied vest and a matching brown scarf with a long cape and boots.

She took the loaf to her hand. "Did you eat anything?"

"No," he replied.

"Why didn't you?" she said gently.

"Did not have enough money after buying those and I did not want to risk pissing the people I won from by going for more," Dastan said and immediately turned away to sleep.

This was the first time Tamina had experienced kindness. Everyone has always assisted out of obligation to her royal status, but tonight, it was pure kindness.

Dastan also involuntary saw himself drawn to Tamina even when she was getting on his nerves. She was loud, opinionated and stubborn making her a breath of fresh air. His whole adult life, every woman he ever met just said yes or obeyed because he was a royal. Here was a woman who held her own.

She wore her scarf tightly in the dessert exposing only her eyes to preserve her belief that no one should see her. He loved the way her eyes danced when she smiled and her laugh would always make him smile because it as a testament of her happiness.

He would await times when she would take off her scarf freeing her beautiful face or in the mornings when she would fix her hair. They had been in the desert for weeks but the harsh sun or the fatigue had hardly made her beauty succumb to them. These were his thoughts as he lay by her side one night.

Tamina was facing him, asleep or so it seemed as she suddenly said, "Stop looking at me, Prince Dastan."

In a desperate attempt to save face, Dastan scoffed and turned away from her. "I was looking to see how your face looked with your mouth shut, because it rarely is!"

She smiled to herself and fell asleep at the comfort that he is there next to her. Through the journey, Dastan become her protector. Her anger and disdain has made way to trust and dependence. At times she has had to remind herself that the reason she is with him is the dagger and not to exonerate him or worse, develop feeings for him.

He was captivating, funny, charming and for the first time in her life, she has engaged with a man socially. She catches herself looking at him against her will, his mannerisms and how he is so conscious of her safety. His stature displays his power and he wore his scars as medals. This was once again in her mind as they rested at a lake.

Having reached the edge of the boarder, they were in a much cooler and gentler climate which offered soft grass, shade and a lake with serene water. Tamina closed her eyes as the breeze struck her face. They had been tired, hungry and anxious for days. She felt a shadow over her.

"This time I am going to have a bath first. So go far and sing or something. I'm not going to be void of clothes in front of you" Dastan mimicked her.

She stood up and parked her hands at the waist, "No," she replied annoyed at the disturbance.

"Fine. Stay. I am having a bath anyway," he said and took his tunic off.

Tamina locked eyes with him refusing to give up her stance. However, she could feel his bronze torso so close to her very own body. They continued to stare at each other and Tamina battled the urge to look at his nude chest. She felt his hands move and within seconds she heard the metal of his belt hit the ground. She held her position. Dastan smiled at her stubbornness and started to unlace his pants.

"You _do_ realise that I really do not care about being naked in front of you?" he said and suddenly pretended to drop his pants.

"Fine," she said through grinding teeth and stomped off towards a far off tree as he laughed.

She leaned against the tree but could not put him out of her mind. Tamina has been shielded and protected from the normal life. He had brought her outside of the pure holy life she is sworn by. Things were different now. She had held him, slept next to him, they had almost kissed and now he was naked.

She had never seen a man naked.

Tamina slowly peeked from her hiding place. He had his back her; boots removed and he was taking his pants off. Her heart raced and she leaned back against the tree but she wanted to look. He had waked into the bank. His body was lean and thighs strong and muscular. She traced his shape and she felt her heart racing. The water reached above his knees and he touched the water with the tips of his fingers. Dastan dove into the water, leaving Tamina to her thoughts of his body

However, the memory of his body could not save him from the anger at his alleged disregard for her. Tamina constantly got annoyed at what she thought was, his lack of respect towards her as he never calls her by her name.

"I am risking my life trying to save you and you don't even know my name," She berated as she walked behind him.

"I never asked you to," he said as he rolled his eyes.

"There you go again saying the same stupid thing you, ungrateful man! It would not kill you to know my name without calling me 'woman', 'here', 'oi' or worse flinging pebbles at me," she said angrily.

"Oh would you just shut up, woman!"

Tamina did not speak to him that whole evening and maintained her silence as they sat by the small fire. He desperately missed her company and sort ways to make amends.

"Tamina," he said while stroking the fire, "Your name is Tamina."

She was surprised but continued to look at the embers than his face.

"I'm sure your friends call you Tami or Mina" he looked at her.

"Is that what you would call me if we were friends?" she questioned stressing the last word out of mockery.

"Are we not friends? Whatever the case, I will not call you those names. I will call you Tamina," he smiled and against Tamina's will, she met his eyes.

"Your name is too beautiful and like a prayer on my lips. It does not do justice to you to be called by a short name," he said in the gentlest of tones. "No, it has to be _Tamina_."

While Tamina acted uninterested, her heart raced at the way he said her name and it echoed in her mind. No one, not a soul had called her name out so gently. It almost, _almost_, sounded like deep affection to her. She smiled against her will and looked at him.

It was one of those moments for Dastan where all he wants to do is to kiss her lips, the craving rising in him with each breath. This woman bewitched him more than anyone else he had ever met. However, he cannot put flesh to his thoughts. Not now and not like this.

They reached the last night of their journey to the Water Temple and they had been together almost a month. His scruff has made way to a thick beard and fatigue had taken a toll on both of them. They had been always hungry, tired and in fear of being discovered. Now the journey would end tomorrow if the Gods willed it.

It was a cold night and he laid down close to her for warmth of the fire and each other. Tamina was looking straight ahead at the stars and smiled to herself.

"Are the stars making you smile or is it thought that you will finally be rid of me?" he asked.

She giggled and turned on her side to face him. "I feel that this journey will end soon. I feel peaceful that I will be at the Water Temple," she said hiding in her heart the strange knowledge that the dagger is safe.

"Well how nice of you to think about you alone," he remarked making her laugh. He did love seeing her happy.

"You will be fine too," she said amongst her giggles, "All will be well and you will be free of accusations. I feel it," she affirmed.

"I for one will miss looking up at the stars. I think they are a wonder. Don't you," he turned again to her trying to take as much memory of her in.

"For me it's the oceans. No one knows how deep or what lies beneath. So vast and majestic. I long to see one," she replied.

"You have not seen the ocean?"

She shook her head in answer.

"When I was about 12, father took me and my brothers to the southern borderlands, to visit... Palace grounds are so close to the beautiful sea and we went crazy playing on the shore and in the water. That marked the end of our childhood. Tus had to shadow father to learn to be the king and Garsiv was with the Generals. Father knew it too. So he commissioned a painting of the sea to be done on the inner court walls. We still look at it when life gets unbearable. I will show you the painting one day," he narrated fading off at the end and silence engulfed.

Tamina turned on her side and looked at him. She remembers the handsome warrior who crashed into her life so different to the man lying next to her. He had changed, matured she dare say. Perhaps he was always the same but she judged him harshly.

"Dastan, you forget, I... I will not be with you if all goes well," Tamina whispered.

His head turned sharply towards her. For a while, he had forgotten that they would part. He had made the decision to set her free long ago but now that there were here, he had a pang of sadness.

"Of... of course. What I meant was that you can visit. There always a place for the one who saved my neck," he tried to lighten the mood.

"Will Princess Jasmine mind?"

Dastan smiled as she had remembered the tease about Princess Jasmine.

"She would not mind at all," he said.

Tamina looked at how his face changed whenever the Princess was mentioned and she had an uneasy feeling, almost as if it was jealously. It was a quiet, clear beautiful night with only the sound of the fire cracking to break the serene silence, and falling asleep beside each other was easy. Sadly it was the last.

The next morning they started their journey up and through the mountains, not a word spoken out of sadness that they would part and the fear that they may not reach the end of their journey. As the temple came into sight, she looked at him with hope.

"We are here," she smiled and started to walk ahead of him. Dastan knew he may not get a chance to ask her to be with him, not out of fear or threat but out of want.

"Tamina," he said in a sudden gust of courage.

She turned and stood where she was. She saw Dastan approach her. He looked different, determined almost. He stopped so close that she had to raise her eyes to his blue eyes. Her heart raise and mind begged to him to ask what she wanted; to stay by his side.

Before he could touch her face, before he could kiss her lips or say what he wanted, his eye caught movement. He saw the men rise, Garsiv's men.

"Run," he shouted at her and pushed her behind. Tamina tried to reach Aksh but a blow to the back of her head brought her down.

As her head hit the ground, Tamina struggled to keep her consciousness reaching for Dastan. She could not speak, she could not move although her whole body screamed for him. She saw him, through blurred eyes. He was surrounded by the enemy and the last vision she had before she passed out was his surrender.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone… here you go the last Chapter of Part One. After a little break, I will start updating asap. Thank you so much for your kind reviews which encourage me on =) I truly enjoy making a PoP fan enjoy. Look forward to your reviews and Part Two!**

**Chapter 10**

She opened her eyes and immediately felt her eyes water with the sharp pain of a throbbing head. Within seconds she realised she is bound, gagged and laying in a corner in a moving caravan. There was no light coming in but she could hear the movement of what seemed like soldiers. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and turned her head to scan her surrounding, gasping as her eyes made out a man at the opening of the caravan. He scoffed at her surprise and instantly jumped out, calling for a royal guard.

Her mind panicked as the memory of the ambush and realisation that they are now captured flooded in. Within minutes the caravan stopped and she was dragged out. Tamina tried to hide her face from the guard who was standing by as he lowered her gag and then she heard _his _voice. It was evening and there was enough light from the setting sun and she saw Dastan in a distance.

"Dastan," she said but was met with heavy slap making her fall on the floor.

"It's Prince Dastan, you whore," the guard corrected.

Dastan's anger boiled. He shouted at the guard and ran towards her with Garsiv following him from a distance. He kneelt next to her and fought to keep his hands from holding her face.

"Tamina, Tamina are you ok?"

There was dried blood from a cut to her forehead and now fresh blood started to pour from her cut lip from the slap. Her eyes watered at his sight as he used his thumb to swipe some blood off her chin.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"Everything is fine. I am found innocent," he said as he removed his scarf and covered her face. He knew she did not want to be exposed. "Nizam found the man who poisoned the robe and I am proven innocent. They have been looking for me all this time. It's over."

Tamina's mind tried to wrap around his words but many questions flooded her. Who was the man who poisoned the king? How did they know where they were?

"Das... Dastan what if it's a trap?"

"No, I trust my brothers. It's over," he exhaled and helped her up as Garsiv reached them. He looked at Dastan's gentle ways with her and the position of helping he was in.

"Dastan," he called, "Let the guards do their job."

"Untie her," Dastan barked at the guard who had hit Tamina but he looked nervously at Garsiv.

"Garsiv she saved my life," Dastan looked at his brother. Garsiv just nodded in reply.

Tamina rubbed her wrist from the pain of the tight ropes and looked at Dastan. He was to protect her and now, he is opposite to her, standing with the other Persian prince. She knew that they would part ways now. She will ask for the dagger and they will separate forever, nothing but memories of each other.

"She is Alamutian? The maid who helped you escape?" Garsiv questioned.

"No… she was a slave being taken to Lurs. I rescued her in Avrat and used her to escape. I am alive because of her," Dastan replied but Tamina stood in confusion of the trail she was under and the lie he told his brother. Garsiv looked stern but before he could continue, he was called by a guard about a message from Tus. Dastan took the chance to speak to Tamina. He went close to her.

"Listen to me, you must go to Nasaf," he whispered.

"Nasaf? But you... You promised," Tamina gasped.

After he was captured, Garsiv had narrated the incidents in the past month. The robe had been poisoned by the very priest who offered the fake to Tus as uncle had discovered. Nizam had found more evidence of the weapons sales to Koshkan and even worse, the Hassansins. Alamut has been annexed by Persia with no way in or out, including secret passages had been found and collapsed. The Princess of Alamut is under house arrest. In reality, Alamut did not exist anymore. Nizam is yet leading the search and prosecution for the arms but the brothers were requested to be together at Nasaf to put a unified stand for the Empire.

There was more, the Hassansins have attacked whoever was in the Water Temple which Tamina held secret. Dastan had questioned how Garsiv discovered him only to receive the answer that Nizam's spies knew where he was headed. He had many questions, too many coincidences and things Uncle Nizam had discovered. But he did not have time to think.

He trusts Garsiv. He knows he is honorable as he is brutal. Now he wants Dastan to accompany him secretly to meet Uncle Nizam halfway. "There is a treacherous plot against Persia," Garsiv had told him, "Trust no one and only we must know the real state."

These words were echoing in his mind as he looked at her.

He cannot reveal anything to her. That is why he protected her with a fake story as, if Garsiv knew she Alamutian, she would be branded a spy. On the other hand, if he let her go, she will be a refugee or a prisoner.

"I know what I promised… Tamina remember how I trusted you? I need you to trust me now. You _must_ go to Nasaf," he said hurriedly looking if Garsiv could see him with her. She was confused at this rash turn of events.

The dagger is safe with the location only known by him. If she is set free now, she could meet Asoka and trace the terrain to where they have been to locate the dagger. Or should she just ask him now where the dagger is? Should she listen to him and stay, she will be yet a prisoner but without chains. Tamina closed her eyes and prayed for no more than a second, asking the Gods what she should do. A soft voice in her heart gave the reply.

"I will stay," she said, "with you."

"Tamina, I have to go."

"No… No don't leave me," she pleaded.

"I have to go but I will come to Nasaf soon," he assured.

Before she could speak again, Dastan heard Garsiv approach and separated from her.

"Brother, we must go now," Garsiv said.

Dastan nodded in reply and turned to the commander of the guards.

"Take her to Nasaf and make her a member of the staff. She is to be allowed to practice her religion and keep her face covered at all times as she wished. She is untouched and to remain untouched. If anyone should lay a hand on her, I would break them myself. She saved my life and I have claimed her," Dastan commanded.

He looked at Tamina as she stood by the guard who first struck her. Even though her face was covered, he can sense that she is crying.

"Thank the princes for their goodwill," the guard demanded.

"Thank you, your highness," she whispered.

"Bow," the guard commanded again.

Dastan moved to stop her but Garsiv subtlety placed his hand on Dastan's wrist to stop him. Tamina looked at Dastan. They were equal every day since they met and here she had to bow to him. Tamina lowered her head and curtseyed, piercing Dastan's heart.

He turned against his will as her head was bowed and walked away. It was better that he not see her face.

Dastan started the journey with Garsiv immediately towards Alamut but not before advising Roham to remind the guard who manhandled Tamina what pain is. He had Bis by his side once again.

Tamina sat at the back of a caravan not knowing where she would finally end up. She had never been alone in her life and being without Dastan was a painful challenge she did not want to face. She closed her eyes and felt the safety of the dagger but she feared for his life.

Asoka, finally having dug himself out of the city, was tracking Tamina but he could not be further. He remembered what was told to him by the Council-Princess Tamina must not know anything about the happenings in Alamut. She is no longer the regent but a guardian and any news of her people's suffering will take her away from her calling. Her only duty is the dagger and Asoka must ensure that even if he had to lie. She needed to be safe and free of Alamut.

The only person who felt his plan coming to place was Nizam.

"It was brilliant I must admit," Zolm said as he got back from the trance he was in.

"Yes, why chase him when we can vouch his innocence and bring him to us," Nizam laughed.

"I see him now, clearly. He is coming to you with Prince Garsiv. Whatever made him invisible to me is now gone as that day I saw him in that village, gambling away," he narrated from his vision.

"And all I have to do now is to take the dagger," Nizam said to himself, "no matter the cost."

END OF PART ONE


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